adopted by BREDL Board of Directors on July 12, 2003

RESOLUTION to Ban Aerial Pesticide Spraying

WHEREAS, the N.C. Pesticide Board admits the inevitability of pesticide drift contamination from aerial applications, as evidenced by the N. C. Interagency Study on the Impact of Pesticides on Ground Water; and


WHEREAS, According to a General Accounting Office report pesticide affects include ”cancer, short- and long-term injury to the nervous system, lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possible dysfunction of the endocrine (hormone) and immune systems. Children are at greater risk from pesticide exposure than most adults.” Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Toxicant Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), violence and other diseases have also been linked to pesticide exposures.


WHEREAS, in approximately 1 out of every 100 births, errors occur during the various stages of fetal sex differentiation, causing babies to develop abnormally, a factor seen in fish and linked to synthetic chemicals; and


WHEREAS, human testing is based on an average male, with no testing on females and children; and


WHEREAS, 15% to 30% of the population is now estimated to suffer from or be disabled by Toxicant Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT), also known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and will be unable to avoid exposure and therefore not have access to public places as required by the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act; and


WHEREAS, hazardous waste containing previously banned pesticides, hazardous waste, untested for heavy metals and radiation are legally allowed to be “recycled” into pesticides, a very profitable practice now replacing pest control with hazardous waste disposal as the primary undisclosed use for pesticides; and


WHEREAS, pesticides are inadequately tested and testing of commonly used aerial tank mixes are non-existent; and


WHEREAS, pesticide drift contaminates surface water, some of which becomes municipal water supplies and such water is not tested nor treated for pesticides; and


WHEREAS, pesticides promote pests by killing beneficial insects (there have been 500 instances of pesticide resistant pest insects as compared to only 30 cases of pesticide resistant beneficial insects); and


WHEREAS, there are effective alternatives to pesticides: and


WHEREAS, pesticides impact pollinators at an estimated cost of $200 million per year in crop losses; and,


WHEREAS, pesticides impact the seafood industry at an estimated $56 million per year in the death of fish alone; and,


WHEREAS, legalizing pesticide drift deprives citizens of their right to self-preservation;


WHEREAS, the drift from aerial pollution has been ruled by 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals court to violate the Clean Water Act.


WHEREAS, state Pesticide Boards do not have the authority to change aerial application laws. Only specific provisions are allowed for individual exemptions by the board. The boards’ authority extends no further.


WHEREAS, the Aerial Pesticide Applicator Assocs. have publicly stated that they can not aerially apply pesticides without breaking the present laws.


WHEREAS, while the Pesticide Board has indicated proposed deregulation of aerial pesticide spraying involves only a few farmers, Duke Power and other electric power companies plan to spray massive amounts of herbicides in right of way areas with a Roundup type product that has been banned in many countries due to adverse health affects from a break down product.


NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that these citizens here present support a BAN on aerial applications of pesticides.